provisional 2013 FNRttC Calendar

[Flying Dodo]

What castle?

In fact, unless we take a bit of a detour, you can't really see Amberley Castle very well from the road. It's not as noticeable as Arundel.

 

[martint235]

In fact, unless we take a bit of a detour, you can't really see Amberley Castle very well from the road. It's not as noticeable as Arundel.

Phew! Thought I'd missed another one there. And for what it's worth, Arundel isn't that noticeable unless you're looking up rather than at the road!!!

 

[Dogtrousers]

Didn't think this warranted its own thread.

I'm pondering putting FNRttC Cardiff-Swansea in my calendar. July's a long way away I know, but anyway ...

Do you need to book a bike space on the train from Paddington? In previous years has there been a glut of Fridays travelling West late on Friday gumming up the guards vans?

 

[martint235]

You could always cycle to Cardiff. That's my plan for this year anyway.

 

[theclaud]

Didn't think this warranted its own thread.

I'm pondering putting FNRttC Cardiff-Swansea in my calendar. July's a long way away I know, but anyway ...

Do you need to book a bike space on the train from Paddington? In previous years has there been a glut of Fridays travelling West late on Friday gumming up the guards vans?

Hello DT! We haven't had problems with over-full trains thus far, but it is definitely worth reserving a bike space. The official capacity is about six bikes per train, although with an amenable guard it's possible to get more on. People tend to arrive over the course of few hours and hang around eating pizzas on the bay and suchlike, plus a lot of the riders come from Wales and/or ride to the start. It's good to stagger the departures a bit after breakfast (for which read hang around drinking all morning) for the same reason.

 

[CharlieB]

Hello DT! We haven't had problems with over-full trains thus far, but it is definitely worth reserving a bike space. The official capacity is about six bikes per train, although with an amenable guard it's possible to get more on. People tend to arrive over the course of few hours and hang around eating pizzas on the bay and suchlike, plus a lot of the riders come from Wales and/or ride to the start. It's good to stagger the departures a bit after breakfast (for which read hang around drinking all morning) for the same reason.

Huh, and huh again.
Last year, I should've stayed with the bike in the compartment. I spent the whole journey from Reading crammed with 15-20 other people in the door vestibule area.
I guess the message is avoid at all costs any trains leaving The Smoke between 4 and 8 in the evening.

 

[Dogtrousers]

Thanks all. Duly pencilled in. Probably stay Saturday overnight with a friend in Cardiff.

 

[theclaud]

Huh, and huh again.
Last year, I should've stayed with the bike in the compartment. I spent the whole journey from Reading crammed with 15-20 other people in the door vestibule area.
I guess the message is avoid at all costs any trains leaving The Smoke between 4 and 8 in the evening.

I have both times been in a position where I would not have got on the train back from Swansea without that booking.

I stand corrected. I wasn't saying they weren't crowded - just that everyone has got home. But yes, the booking is necessary, and as non-advance tickets are now a gazillion pounds, it makes sense to book the bike on, as you are obliged to make a seat reservation with advance tickets anyway. One of the problems I do encounter with trains from Paddington is that platform announcements are sometimes very late, and the guard's van is at the far end of the platform. National Rail enquiries have stopped including platform information, so I'm thinking of getting a phone app.

 

[theclaud]

It was kids with BMXs who had got on before us the first time. Because we had the booking the guard still let us on though. If we had not we would have been buggered. Teef did kindly persuade the guard not to chuck their bikes off for them but I think it was more that he couldn't be arsed to go to find them.

Ah yes - they always come in fives.

 

[PippaG]

I stand corrected. I wasn't saying they weren't crowded - just that everyone has got home. But yes, the booking is necessary, and as non-advance tickets are now a gazillion pounds, it makes sense to book the bike on, as you are obliged to make a seat reservation with advance tickets anyway. One of the problems I do encounter with trains from Paddington is that platform announcements are sometimes very late, and the guard's van is at the far end of the platform. National Rail enquiries have stopped including platform information, so I'm thinking of getting a phone app.

Try trains.im - it gives platform info and also works very well on my iPhone

 

[theclaud]

Try trains.im - it gives platform info and also works very well on my iPhone

Thanks Pippa. I will look it up.

 

[Dogtrousers]

National Rail enquiries have stopped including platform information, so I'm thinking of getting a phone app.

Live Departure Boards on nat rail enquiries normally shows platforms. Eg this should show the platforms for trains from Paddington to Swansea:

http://ojp.nationalrail.co.uk/service/ldbboard/dep/PAD/SWA/To

However, I used it the other day for Clapham Junction, which has a zillion platforms and such info is especially useful, and it told me nothing. So maybe it only tells you if don't need to know. Some kind of quantum thing.

 

[mmmmartin]

Absurdly early, but is anyone thinking of riding Hull-London afterwards, as I did last year? am thinking of staying in the Ibis hotel as it lets you in at 12 noon and is very near our breakfast stop.

 

[martint235]

Absurdly early, but is anyone thinking of riding Hull-London afterwards, as I did last year? am thinking of staying in the Ibis hotel as it lets you in at 12 noon and is very near our breakfast stop.

Without jinxing myself like last year, possibly!

 

[StuartG]

People with Bromptons don't have to worry train or coach. In 2011 London/Cardiff was a quid on Megabus. And you get chance to meet interesting people at no extra charge